This invention relates in general to the production of mineral fiber material, particularly of such materials as glass fiber. Specifically, the invention relates to a separator for separating produced fiber material from an airstream.
In the manufacture of mineral fiber insulation, the mineral fibers are usually formed from molten mineral material using fiberizers. In the typical manufacturing operation the molten mineral material is introduced into a plurality of fiberizers. The molten material is generated in a melter or furnace and is delivered to the fiberizers by way of a forehearth having a series of bushings. The fiberizers centrifuge the molten material and cause the material to be formed into fibers that are directed as a stream or veil to a collection unit. The veils from typical fiberizing processes include large volumes of air and hot gases in which the mineral fibers are entrained.
In the production of fibrous loose fill material for such uses as blowing wool for insulation, the mineral fibers are typically formed into a blanket or mat and then cut or chopped into tufts, flakes or other particulate insulation bodies. In an alternative process, the mineral fibers are collected from the fiberizers, and then collected or bagged without being formed into a blanket or mat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,817 to Gill et al., discloses one such method of producing such a loose fill material. In the Gill patent a typical fiberizing station is illustrated. A plurality of fiberizers receive molten glass material from a forehearth. The fiberizers each produce a veil of glass fibers which are directed downwardly toward a collection member or funnel. The downward flow of the veil can be enhanced and controlled by the use of an airflow system that directs the veil to a given area. In the Gill patent, the collection member intercepts the glass veil supplied by the fiberizer and the collection member then diverts the fibers and flow of gases to a separator and ultimately to a packaging machine.
It would be advantageous to provide a system of manufacturing a loose fill fibrous material including a system that can separate the directing air flow from the loose fill material.